In the Barn
by voodooladyshaladee
Summary: One shot fic. Sasha and Murdock discuss the possibility of a relationship, but with all the insanity of the world of hostility in which they fight to survive every day, can this really happen? Maybe...
A conversation between Sasha and Murdock. AU.

Rated K

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my love of this fandom!

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In the Barn

Sasha woke first, she was on a bed of straw and Murdock was beside her, his eyes were closed and he was sleeping deeply. The night's darkness had been brief and now an eerie too early glow was breaking through sending the shimmer into the barn through the windows, and as she looked at Murdock, Sasha shifted closer to him, placed her hand on his cheek and then leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

He slowly opened his eyes, and his dark gaze met with hers.

"Is it morning? It feels too early,"he said, and he sounded as exhausted as she felt. They were all exhausted after the long journey to find water and the lack of food was keeping them weak despite the rainfall that had saved their lives.

"I think the suns coming through the night sky," she said as she turned on her side and looked at him again, taking in every detail of his face as once again she thought how handsome he was, "Poor mother earth, scorched by nukes."

Murdock briefly closed his eyes again and gave a sigh, wishing he didn't feel so weary because right now, he needed closeness, a human touch to remind him they really had survived. But exhaustion was making sure all they could do was rest, although resting close together for now, was enough.

"I wish I had more energy," he said honestly, "If I did I think I'd want to make the most of this opportunity."

His hand was resting on her hip as he looked into her eyes.

"I like you a lot," she replied,"A lot, Murdock."

He smiled.

"I like you too,Sasha. But I don't know about anything else any more – not right now."

"I know I want to eat," she replied.

"So did I," he agreed, "And I wish we could go back to the way the world was before – when it all made sense, when there were no howlers, when life was in that state we used to call normal. Then I would have – I probably would have -"

"You probably would have done, what?" there was a sparkle in her eyes, and he laughed softly as he pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know," he said honestly, "Maybe. You and me...just maybe. Or not. But there's no point thinking about that now. Not while we don't know what each day will bring. And I need more sleep."

"Me too," she replied, and she closed her eyes and so did Murdock,. And as she slept beside him he stayed awake, opening his eyes and looking to the eerie half light glow that broke through the barn window.

He just didn't know anything any more, not when it came to life and love and relationships because it felt like all that stuff belonged in the other world, the one that didn't exist any more.

But he did like Sasha, and having the closeness of another human being at this time was a great source of comfort.

He reached down and brushed a stray lock of hair form her face and she carried on sleeping. And he wondered just how much he liked her. Maybe enough to want her, maybe enough to fall in love. Or not. Maybe there was someone else out there, and he was yet to find them. But for now, it was good to be in the arms of a woman, even if all he could do was rest because exhaustion prevented any chance of lave making. Perhaps that was a good thing, while he still had that thought in his mind that just maybe, out there somewhere, was another - and she would be just right for him.

But Sasha was warm and her closeness a comfort. And so he enjoyed her warmth, the feel of her sleeping beside him, and it lulled him into a sense of almost normality. A brief thought ran through his mind, causing him to stay awake a while longer as he pondered on it:

 _What was normal now?_

Had normal been swiped off the face of the earth by the rise of the howlers, or killed by the UNA or the nukes or all of it put together?  
And if life was ever normal again,would it be a new normal? Because the normal life of old was gone forever, it was wiped out and lived only in the memories of those who had survived...

Then Murdock pushed those thoughts aside, and as he did so it struck him as ironic that even thought the normal world was gone, it was still normal to be got at by those thoughts that plagued his mind in the early hours of the morning, those crawling out of the woodwork thoughts that crept up on insomniacs and poor sleepers in the small hours - thoughts that would keep him up if he didn't banish them. How human, how very normal... Then he closed his eyes and slipped back into a deep sleep as the early morning glow from a sun burning down on to a scorched planet continued to give out that eerie glow.


End file.
